Electronic discussion Lists

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SOLS organizes networking opportunities for trustees, library CEOs, and other library staff, including online discussion lists (sometimes known as the “listservs”).  This page will describe how discussion lists work, and give practical advice on how to participate in a discussion lists. 

SOLS would like to take this opportunity to advise participants that on occasion and where applicable we will be collating responses to questions or issues posed on our lists and then posting them in the Clearinghouse. SOLS will do so for topics it feels are of enduring or ongoing value to the public library community. By posting questions and responses, you are giving SOLS permission to identify you and/or your library. This will allow SOLS to make information that is requested regularly more readily available to our listserv subscribers. Thank you for subscribing to our listservs.

To sign up for a specific list, please see our complete listing of discussion lists.

What is an electronic discussion group (list server)?
How does a discussion group work?
Discussion list helpful hints & tips
Southern Ontario Library Service - Electronic Discussion Group Policy
Click on this link for the lists hosted by SOLS Mailman list server.

What is an electronic discussion list?

Electronic discussion lists provide forums for Internet users to participate in discussions or receive information on thousands of topics. Digests, electronic journals, announcements, and discussion lists are some of the types of content that are delivered through the thousands of these lists available on the Internet.

The software responsible for the management and distribution of these mailing lists to thousands of subscribers are commonly called "listservers" or "listserv". A listserver automatically distributes an e-mail message from one member of a list to all other members on that list.

How does a discussion list work?

When you subscribe to a list, your name and e-mail address are automatically added to the list. You will receive an email message of welcome telling you about the list. From that time on, you will receive all mail (postings) sent to the list by its members. You may follow the discussions or join in on them. If you respond, you can send your response to the list (in which case, all members of the list will receive it), or to an individual on the list. You can signoff (unsubscribe) from a list at any time. You can also get a listing of all the members of a list and their e-mail addresses. A help file, that lists the various listserver commands, is also available to users.

Discussion List Helpful Hints & Tips

• A discussion list is not a person, nor is a discussion list a listserv
  A listserv is a program that resides on a computer. It only responds to specific commands which manage the list of members of possibly many different discussion lists. Questions or answers must be posted to the discussion group itself (ie. OLSLIB-L@lists.library.on.ca) and not to the listserv program (ie. listserv@lists.library.on.ca). If you are not sure which is which, contact the list's owner for instructions.
• Save the listserver Welcome message
  When you first subscribe, the listserver sends you an automated message with its most important commands. This information will be useful to you later, so be sure to save that message. Many commands are listserv specific.
• Lurk before you post
  (Net jargon meaning "Eavesdrop before you contribute.")
• Don't get Flamed! Know your netiquette
  Read Arlene Rinaldi's The Net: User Guidelines and Netiquette
• Know who are you replying to
  Look at the To: and Cc: line of your reply. Are you responding to the author or are you responding to the group? Know who your audience is before you click on "Send".